80 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [P. D. 4. 



where over forty workers from New Hampshire to Minnesota 

 and from Canada to Virginia were present, it seemed to be the 

 general consensus of opinion that the further planting of white 

 pine, at least for a period of years, should not be advised. 



Explanation of Map. — The accompanying map represents 

 the distribution of the white pine blister rust as found in Mas- 

 sachusetts in 1916, and is not to be interpreted as indicating 

 the present status of the disease, as practically all diseased 

 pine and diseased cultivated Ribes found have been removed. 

 In addition, the wild Rihes (of which there were thousands) have 

 been pulled up in the three areas marked on the map by cross 

 lines. It is interesting to note the many towns in which five or less 

 infected places were found. There is undoubtedly considerable 

 blister rust still in Massachusetts, but the State has been freed 

 from this disease as far as was possible with the limited means 

 at command. As a result of this year's work very little, if any, 

 disease exists outside of the three generally infected areas out- 

 lined in this report, but there is no doubt some infection which 

 at present is in an unrecognizable form. Although in the three 

 general areas referred to above an attempt has been made to 

 remove all pine and Ribes found diseased, more blister rust 

 undoubtedly exists in these regions in the incubation period, 

 and very likely there is some elsewhere which has not been 

 discovered as yet. 



Work during 1916 in Massachusetts. — The conditions found 

 in 1915 were reported to the Legislature last winter, and an 

 appropriation of $10,000 was made for the purpose of learning 

 the condition of the entire State as regards the blister rust, and 

 for its extermination so far as this could be accomplished, and 

 the work was placed with the State nursery inspection service. 



As soon as it was possible to begin work and obtain men 

 trained to recognize the disease, crews were placed in Essex and 

 Berkshire counties, some of the men removing all cases of the 

 disease found, while others scouted adjacent territory to locate 

 the rust for the rest of the crew to remove as they came along. 



Before the field work began the Federal Congress appro- 

 priated $30,000 for work on the rust in different parts of the 

 United States, and a sum practically equivalent to that ap- 

 propriated by the State was made available for use in Massa- 



